It’s around this time of year when Blue September is raising awareness for prostate cancer we start to hear about the goodness of lycopene. So what’s the connection? I asked our Nutritionist to tell us a bit more...
There is a lot of research around the antioxidant lycopene, the nutrient which gives fruit and vegetables like tomatoes their luscious bright red colour. So far research has looked at the link between tomatoes, lycopene and prostate health as well as the health of our heart, eyes and skin. More studies are being done to really understand this connection.
It is known that we get more lycopene from cooked tomatoes (like in canned tomatoes, tomato pastes and purees, tomato soup and tomato sauce) as it’s easier for the body to absorb compared with fresh tomatoes. This is great news, as adding a can of tomatoes to recipes like this Super Pan Pasta is just so simple and tastes fantastic too. And it feels even better when you know that Wattie’s will make a donation towards Blue September from every pack of tomatoes with a blue label sold.
For more information on lycopene and Blue September, go to our web site: www.foodinaminute.co.nz
Check out our delicious recipes with lycopene:
